iTaukei schools face lease renewal hurdles - Tavua headteacher

The renewal of land leases remains a major challenge for many schools in Fiji, particularly for iTaukei schools.

Headteacher of Toko Sanatan Primary School in Tavua, Gulshad Ali has highlighted this issue during the consultation on the review of the Education Act 1966, where he said that in recent years many schools have been taken over by the land-owning authorities, forcing the schools to relocate.

Ali suggested that the government should take over the payment of land leases, so that schools are not burdened with this responsibility.

He also highlighted that no school should be closed due to mataqali disputes or relocation issues, stating that it takes ages to make and ages to build a school.

The public consultation on the review of the Education Act 1966 will continue on Monday in Sigatoka.

The team will be at Keyasi Secondary School from 10am to 12pm, and will move to Nahigatoka Village Hall from 2pm to 4pm.